Use Both Hands
August 10, 2010 § 15 Comments
.
I’ve always wanted to write a blog post about incomers & white settlers, the preponderance of non-local island bloggers and examine the critical sociological questions of this period in Lewis history. Questions such as why is it when you hear that a llama trekking business has started up you know it’s going to be run by a hippy “artist” who has just moved to the island..?
There’s very much a love/hate relationship between both parties involved in this “issue” but it very rarely gets discussed, except, in my experience, behind closed doors. Anyway at some point I fancy taking on the elephant in the room just for the hell of it and provoking a good debate.
But not today.
Instead I encourage you to check out my friend’s increasingly more prolific blog North Atlantic Drift, one white-settling, non-local, low down dirty incomer’s savvy and amusing take on Lewis life. He recently took a stab at the subject stating:
In some instances, incomers onto the island are called “white settlers”. I have never been certain whether this is a reference to many who arrive with grey hair or whether it is because they behave like colonialists. Or both? Whatever the case, incomers are forever incomers in the eyes of a Lewisian, Leohasach. I heard from Professor Feb. S. Burns. He has his own theory: God — in whom this island’s population largely trust and some devoutly so — may have sent us incomers purely to amuse the native Gaels.
Anyway, bookmark the blog and enjoy.
(And thankfully there’s not a llama to be seen. Yet.)
Re white settlers / locals, I’m that other “type”, the one with family from the island who has never lived there but spent tons of time visiting from the mainland.
A couple of thoughts.
I grew up in and around cities in mainland UK, but have now lived over 20+ years in another relatively small island community, Grand Cayman.
So many differences to Lewis, but also so many similarities to explore and consider.
As the years have passed, I’ve come to realise that the time I spend and experiences I had in Lewis whilst growing up have been more formative than I realised in my youth.
Also, that my experiences of both Grand Cayman and Lewis give me an outside perspective on both.
I could go on for hours, but instead just some brief thoughts.
Island life is special, but often insular.
Culture is ever changing, with history to be preserved and treasured but not held onto at the expense of accepting change at all cost.
Movement of peoples in and out of island communities is not just to be welcomed, but essential to keep culture, life and economic activity active and ready to change to meet threats and opportunities.
Cayman has, historically, had massive rapid growth.. population <10,000 in the 60s, now around 50,000… and only with the economic slowdown recently have we seen that number drop for the first time in decades. With that rapid rate of economic and population growth, we have seen issues, but surprisingly few for such a high rate of change.
Lewis, on the other hand, has seen a stagnant economy not just in recent decades but, quite honestly, has never found a way to create a truly sustainable industry to support living standards for all much beyond subsistence level, dating back to the middle of the 19th century. Population has been in continual decline, and even within the overall headline number, the doughnut hole of low population among 18-50 year olds is devastating to the life of the island. Add to that the massive dependency on the public purse for employment and services…. and to me, it all adds up to the thought that.. if people want to come and settle, do everything you possibly can to welcome them with open arms…
Go on then! Mind you now that I’m living here there’s far better things to do than read blogs
Llamas on Lewis? Here’s something much more sensible.
Les is on to something: most might say there are ‘far better things to do’ than to write blogs. I await your tome on the topic, when you’re ready to deliver it. How ’bout installments?
Indeed there are far better things to do than read or write blogs which is why this one’s so poorly maintained. But fact is we write ‘em and read ‘em and this blog, Lewis orientated as it is, has never really broached this particular subject. Which is odd considering it’s relevant to all sorts of island issues from the economy and house prices to language and culture.
Problem is, in my head anyway, it’s a cartoon topic, filled with confirmation-biased inspired caricatures, that has no semblance to life in the real world. It’s only when I “meet” it face to face I realise it’s actually an issue for people (in both camps) and there are real, table-thumping opinions on it.
It’s a bit of a hot-button topic though and one that I can/will only couch in a laugh-at-all-sides manner. Rest assured the tome will be far from weighty if and when I’m ready to deliver it.
(I’m also crucially aware my market audience consists of approx 95% newly arrived English retirees, American chicken crofters and central belt holiday home owners. Don’t bite the hands that feed you right?)
Thanks for the link,Les.
I don’t know. Bite away, as long as you’re willing gnaw off a finger (and swallow it whole).
Thing is, when it comes to discussing people here, I am much more comfortable writing about the incomers than the natives, the latter of whom I am inclined to avoid any conflict with or possibly (even inadvertantly) insult. They’re the ones I’m most interested in knowing more about.
But, I didn’t come here to make friends (necessarily) — or settle-in with an existing expatriate community resettled up here, which I think has happened with people i have met: whether lowland Scots or northern English.
I don’t knock it. That is what immigrant communities typically do: whether yorkshire men and women on Lewis or Cape Verde -ians in Cape Cod. It’s just not my thing. If a pile of Glaswegians (no offense) suddenly settled on Bernera I might just think it’s time to move on. If Americans, I wouldn’t hesitate.
I wish more Gaels blogged and I suggest that there is a rather Peter Mayle-inspired reason for incomers to do it in far greater proportion. For one thing, they may have friends and families encouraging them to “write a book” about their experiences. How many shittey books has Mayle caused?
Whenever one writes and is known to get published, as well, relations can get strained as people don’t know if they can trust you. It’s a occupational hazard. Because blogs are often written quickly, without perhaps the necessary consideration for feelings, you can get in a tight spot or two. Another reason for my resistance to dwell (as yet) on the Leohasach.
In the end, blogs are about as disposable as the daily papers. A new day, another blog — or something like that. And one person’s opinion is just that, nothing more or less.
Trouble is, it’s difficult to mix with the locals if even if you try! We want to grow our own veg when we’re settled and thought it sensible to ask advice from the natives about what best to grow here. The Lewis & Harris Horticultural Producers seemed to be the place to go but then we discovered that the project officer is some American bloke!
These reviews of ‘Seasons on Harris’ may provided further food for thought?:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/0060741813/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
I look-forward to you ‘taking the elephant by both tusks’ and sparking an intelligent and long-overdue debate with your usual erudite wit and wisdom.
ha ha, Croft, bring it on!!! This should be good….
Also, I’m disappionted that the llama owners can’t spell dissapointed….but other than that it looks a fairly harmless way to scratch a living. Live and let live I say. And they donm’t spit which is, I suspect, something your owner couldn’t swear to Crofty ol’ mate…
Heck Les, I just organise the workshops . . . Bona fide experienced growers on Lewis and Harris deliver them. That said, any questions, just lob them my way. ;^{)}
very funny blog, interesting to read.
the incomer bits are also funny, but i see it would be to many locals, more truthful than amusing?
my daughter said to me, would the local people find it funny if we incomers labelled the locals inbreds?
i explained to her, of course not, that would be malcious and on the verge of racism i would expect the shout would be.
let us not forget, that for every ‘innocent’ bit of fun, there is an edge that points to offence. on both sides.
Equating incomer with inbred sorta says something about the whole situation. Not sure what tho…
would it *really* be a contentious issue tho …?!
I think it would say more about the ‘table-thumpers’ themselves than either the natives or the incomers, in general …!
outside of really ‘bad behaviour’, in a philosophical sense, is there really that much separating us …?
I suspect it’s more linked with attitudes to do with age than anything else …
I think the books have already been written. Remember Lillian Beckwith and shudder…